Little Rock Zoo Passes Smoking Ban - January 7th, 2011
On Monday, November 8, the Board of Governors of the Little Rock Zoo unanimously passed a resolution to prohibit smoking on zoo premises. Specifically, the resolution does away with all smoking areas designated for the public, but leaves a designated smoking area beyond public view for staff members. The resolution also allows smoking 100 feet from any building entrance during after-hour events where children are not allowed and all attendees must be at least 21 years of age.
Though a meaningful step for the anti-tobacco movement, this resolution will not be effective immediately. City Hall has said that it may be necessary for the City Board of Directors to approve any rules concerning smoking in the zoo. For that reason, the new policy must remain on hold until a decision is reached. Bruce Moore, City Manager, however, stated that the Board of Governors’ resolution is consistent with other city policies and that he will affirm the resolution. [1]
This resolution is sure to please two groups in particular. On October 23, Genine Perez and the Tobacco Control Youth Board (TCYB) members, Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) staff, and partner Katherine Donald of the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Arkansas (CTFA) collected 366 signatures from nonsmokers, and even people who smoke, to petition the Zoo Board of Governors to make the zoo smoke-free. The group was led by TCYB member Morgan Smith from Imboden, Arkansas. Dressed in costumes to “blend” in with the crowd, TCYB members educated zoo guests on the dangers of secondhand smoke and the need to protect small children, youth and animals at the Little Rock Zoo. The small group had three goals in line with partners from CTFA and master citizen, Joe Arnold:
1. Bring the public’s attention to the proposed plan for designated smoking at the zoo;
2. Make the public aware of the designated smoking areas and why secondhand smoke is NOT good for the public’s health;
3. Petition the Zoo Board of Governors to reverse its plan of designated smoking areas; instead the board should adopt a 100 percent smoke-free policy.
The group held signs and showcased Gas Mask Sam to deliver the message that there is no such thing as safe exposure to secondhand smoke. Participants also passed out palm cards with the message: “Protect children and animals; don’t let them breathe tobacco smoke at the zoo or anywhere else. Support a 100% Smoke Free Zoo!” Information about cigarette habits, dangers of secondhand smoke and cigarette litter was included on the back of the card along with a web address to the online petition created by Morgan Smith.
Another group continued the effort at Boo at the Zoo on Friday, October 29. College students from UALR and Pulaski Tech joined YES Youth Activist (Youth Extinguishing Smoking Youth Advisors) Alisha Chidester and Gas Mask Sam to collect an impressive 532 signatures from people who smoke and those who don’t for the same three objectives. The college students, ranging from 17-19 years old, didn’t wear costumes, but instead wore their Arkansas Youth Leadership Initiative shirts. The shirts sparked interest and provided an opportunity for the group to share what they stood for when asked. The group also passed out palm cards with messages about the urgent need to avoid tobacco. The students took full advantage of the great educational opportunities all around.
YES Youth Activists deserve special recognition for their commitment to anti-tobacco. They are former TCYB members who chose to continue their tobacco prevention and control efforts through high school and on to their college campuses. YES Youth Activist Alisha Chidester has been a YES Team member for over five years, and served on the Tobacco Control Youth Board in 2007, 2008 and 2009. She was also a Team YES Speaks member.
A round of applause is certainly in order for all these young people who have been so relentless in their quest to stamp out smoking. As of October 29, they collected 898 hand signatures, 58 online signatures, and set a goal to collect 3,000 signatures before spring 2011 to make the zoo smoke-free.
[1] Information for this article from Arkansas Times Blog article “The Zoo Snuffs Out Cigarettes”
